Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organization

Australian national research organization, which in 1949 replaced the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, founded in 1926, which had replaced the Advisory Council of Science and Industry, established in 1916. CSIRO manages three major National Research Facilities (the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, the Australia Telescope, and the Marine National Facility, which is the research vessel Southern Surveyor), and over 30 other research facilities. It leads a number of initiatives called National Research Flagships. CSIRO is a major patent-holder and publisher of research papers.